


Penny

by thegreatandpowerfultoaster



Series: Reader Inserts [19]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Reader Is Sole Survivor, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24806092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreatandpowerfultoaster/pseuds/thegreatandpowerfultoaster
Summary: "Man, I don't think I've seen anyone so upset since Neriah let those mole-rats loose in the senior officers quarters by mistake."
Relationships: Paladin Danse (Fallout)/Reader, Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor
Series: Reader Inserts [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1124208
Kudos: 9





	Penny

**Author's Note:**

> I'm re-posting all my previous reader-inserts separately as to more accurately tag their content! So if you've seen this before, that's why.
> 
> If you want to request another fic, you can find me @goodmorningaperture on tumblr.
> 
> (Title is from Vagabond Opera's song of the same name)

(Y/N) walked out onto the airports cement pad, the one where they would be constructing Liberty Prime with a clearly distressed look.

Danse hadn't been in there when Maxson had chewed her out. In fact, he hadn't even gotten the chance to warn her about the Elder's anger. He wasn't even certain what had happened there, only that the Institute was on high alert now, because of something.

He rushed (as quickly as he could in his power armor, of course) to her, before she could meet Ingram to look over everything.

"Are you alright, Knight (L/N)?"

She looked surprised at his question, as if she hadn't expected anyone to ask. Knowing her, she probably thought she deserved the lecture. Danse didn't know nearly enough to make that call. But she was his partner, and someone needed to make sure she was alright.

Slowly, she nodded. "I think I'll be all right. Eventually." Despite this small reassurance, her voice seemed hollow, emotionless. "Nothing went the way I planned."

"Would you like to talk about it?" It would be a good idea to talk about it, right? That helped people...didn't it?

He didn't know. (Y/N) nodded again, still taking her sweet time. "Yes. That sounds good. Let me...let me talk to Ingram first. Is that alright?"

"Of course."

She talked to Ingram for a little bit, before disappearing into the place where he knew the remnants of the Brotherhoods greatest weapon were held. She returned, not looking any better. "I've got to grab a few things, would you meet me at the entrance?"

Danse gave a cut nod and a sharp "Ad Victoriam, Knight," in response. Halfheartedly she returned the gesture and went off. Ingram approached him as soon as (Y/N) was out of sight.

"Man, I don't think I've seen anyone so upset since Neriah let those mole-rats loose in the senior officers quarters by mistake. What do you think happened down there? Maxson looked royally pissed that she didn't come back with Dr. Li, but I don't think that was it."

"I don't know what happened," He shook his head. He knew Ingram was a good friend of (Y/N)'s, and he had always gotten along well with the Proctor. "But she'll tell us when she's ready, I'm sure."

He did fail to mention that she had agreed to talk to him about it. Her trust in him wasn't going to be helped if he told the whole chapter what she'd said. "Yeah, you're probably right." Ingram replied. "Anyways, I'd better get back to working. Good talk."

They'd walked most of the way to Diamond City before the sun began to set, and they'd had to make camp.

Neither had said a word the entire way, and while Danse was not the sort of person who was driven crazy by that sort of thing, today it was bothering him and he didn't know why.

She was sitting on the ground, prying open a can of Cram when he'd asked her again if she wanted to talk about it. (Y/N) had agreed once again.

"Its a very long story," she'd said, as if admitting some awful secret. "No one's ever really heard it before. I only just learned how it ended myself."

"I don't mind if its long," he'd replied evenly. "And I'd be honored to hear it. Is it your story?"

(Y/N) half shrugged, handing him the can of Cram she'd failed to open. It opened with a sharp pop, and he handed it back. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

He sits back with his rations and closely listens to everything, from her life before the war to earlier today, and meeting her son. He doesn't know what to say, after all that. She's so strong, stronger then he could ever manage. She insisted that that was not at all the case, and said that he was simply a different kind of strong and that they both had their own trials.

"And yours have been so much more than mine," he responds. "You're a wonderful inspiration, (Y/N)."

Danse doesn't know why that makes her start sobbing. Has he been so stupid as to not realize she's been bordering on tears the while time? Slowly and hesitantly he hugs her. They stay like that until the stars glow above them and the moon is high in the sky. "I'm sorry," she whispers.

"Don't be. You'd do the same for me." And she does, over and over again after he's lost everything. They're two halves of a while - have been since they first crossed paths. And it doesn't feel like an equal trade, usually, but they'll keep each other going.


End file.
